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Scion of Coldshard 09-07-06, 07:03 PM	So this is my first try at something like this and I could use a little help ;) I believe that this forum is a good place for it, but perhaps there is a better place. Any suggestions would be great! -- The psicrystal is a potentially wonderful addition to any psionic character with at least one manifester level. It is a bit of the characters personality distilled and refined into a purer substance and then placed into its own little crystalline body. This guide is designed to answer questions that people have about them along with a guide on how to maximize their importance to your character. In some instances presented below the psicrystal might actually become ‘more’ important than your actual character. Lets start with the very basic basics shall we? Note that some of it may be a little different than is written in the book or the SRD. These changes are based on rulings from various sources such as the author of the book, customer service, errata, FAQ, etc. Here is the initial feat that you will need to take: Psicrystal Affinity [Psionic] You have created a psicrystal. Prerequisites: Manifester level 1st. Benefit: This feat allows you to gain a psicrystal. Which grants you this little guy: PSICRYSTAL Diminutive Construct Hit Dice: As master’s HD (hp ½ master’s) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft. (4 squares) * AC: 16 (+4 size, +2 dex*), touch 16, flatfooted 14 Base Attack/Grapple: As master’s BAB/BAB -5 str -12 size Attack: – Full Attack: – Space/Reach: 1ft./0ft. Special Attacks: – Special Qualities: Construct traits, hardness 8, psicrystal granted abilities (improved evasion, personality, self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link) Saves: As master’s base saves plus master’s ability modifiers Abilities: Str 1*, Dex 15*, Con –, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: As master’s with a minimum of 4 ranks in spot, listen, move silently, and search but applies its own ability score bonuses Feats: Alertness Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: Included with master Treasure: – Alignment: As master Advancement: – Level Adjustment: – *With self-propulsion ability activated The psicrystal described here is that of a 1st-level manifester. COMBAT A psicrystal’s characteristics depend on its master. Its Hit Dice are equal to its master’s Hit Dice, its hit points are equal to half its master’s, and its saving throw bonuses are the same as its master’s. Construct Traits: A psicrystal has immunity to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromancy effects, mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects or is harmless. It is not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. It cannot heal damage, but it can be repaired. Psicrystals do not have the usual construct traits of darkvision and low-light vision. Psicrystal Granted Abilities: The psicrystal described here has the special abilities of self-propulsion, alertness, improved evasion, share powers, telepathic link, sighted, and personality (If its master chooses not to activate the self-propulsion ability, the psicrystal reverts to a speed of 0 feet and has no Strength score and no Dexterity score.) Skills: A psicrystal (with its self-propulsion ability activated) uses its Dexterity modifier instead of its Strength modifier on Climb checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10, even if rushed or threatened. Here are the basics from the psicrystal section under psions: PSICRYSTALS A psicrystal is a fragment of a psionic character’s personality, brought into physical form and a semblance of life (via the Psicrystal Affinity feat). A psicrystal appears as a crystalline construct about the size of a human hand. Because it is an extension of its creator’s personality, a character’s psicrystal is in some ways a part of him. That’s why, for example, a psionic character can manifest a personal range power on his psicrystal even though normally he can manifest such a power only on himself. A psicrystal is treated as a construct for the purposes of all effects that depend on its type. A psicrystal grants special abilities to its owner, as shown on the Psicrystal Special Abilities table below. In addition, a psicrystal has a personality (being a fragment of the owner’s personality), which gives its owner a bonus on certain types of checks or saving throws, as given on the Psicrystal Personalities table below. These special abilities and bonuses apply only when the owner and the psicrystal are within 1 mile of each other. Psicrystal abilities are based on the owner’s levels in psionic classes. Levels from other classes do not count toward the owner’s level for purposes of psicrystal abilities. A psicrystal can speak one language of its owner’s choice (so long as it is a language the owner knows). A psicrystal can understand all other languages known by its owner, but cannot speak them. This is a supernatural ability. Psicrystal Basics: Use the statistics for a psicrystal, but make the following changes. Saving Throws: A psicrystal uses its owner’s base saving throw bonuses and ability modifiers on saves, though it doesn’t enjoy any other bonuses its owner might have (from magic items or feats, for example). Abilities: When its self-propulsion ability is not activated, a psicrystal has no Strength score and no Dexterity score. Skills: A psicrystal has the same skill ranks as its owner, except that it has a minimum of 4 ranks each in Spot, Listen, Move Silently, and Search. (Even if its owner has no ranks in these skills, a psicrystal has 4 ranks in each.) A psicrystal uses its own ability modifiers on skill checks. Psicrystal Special Abilities Owner Level Natural Armor Adj. Int Adj. Special 1st–2nd +0 +0 Alertness, improved evasion, personality, self-propulsion, share powers, sighted, telepathic link 3rd–4th +1 +1 Deliver touch powers 5th–6th +2 +2 Telepathic speech 7th–8th +3 +3 — 9th–10th +4 +4 Flight 11th–12th +5 +5 Power resistance 13th–14th +6 +6 Sight link 15th–16th +7 +7 Channel power 17th–18th +8 +8 19th–20th +9 +9 Psicrystal Ability Descriptions: All psicrystals have special abilities (or impart abilities to their owners) depending on the level of the owner, as shown on the table above. The abilities on the table are cumulative. Natural Armor Adj. (Ex): This number noted here is an improvement to the psicrystal’s natural armor bonus (normally 0). It represents a psicrystal’s preternatural durability. Intelligence Adj. (Ex): Add this value to the psicrystal’s Intelligence score. Psicrystals are as smart as people (though not necessarily as smart as smart people). Alertness (Ex): The presence of a psicrystal sharpens its master’s senses. While a psicrystal is within arm’s reach (adjacent to or in the same square as its owner), its owner gains the Alertness feat. Improved Evasion (Ex): If a psicrystal is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails. Personality (Ex): Every psicrystal has a personality. See Psicrystal Personality, below. Self-Propulsion (Su): As a standard action, its owner can will a psicrystal to form spidery, ectoplasmic legs that grant the psicrystal a land speed of 30 feet and a climb speed of 20 feet. The legs fade into nothingness after one day (or sooner, if the owner desires). Share Powers (Su): At the owner’s option, he can have any power (but not any psi-like ability) he manifests on himself also affect his psicrystal. The psicrystal must be within 5 feet of him at the time of the manifestation to receive the benefit. If the power has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the psicrystal if it moves farther than 5 feet away, and will not affect the psicrystal again, even if it returns to its owner before the duration expires. Additionally, the owner can manifest a power with a target of “You” on his psicrystal (as a touch range power) instead of on himself. The owner and psicrystal cannot share powers if the powers normally do not affect creatures of the psicrystal’s type (construct). Sighted (Ex): Although it has no physical sensory organs, a psicrystal can telepathically sense its environment as well as a creature with normal vision and hearing. Darkness (even supernatural darkness) is irrelevant, as are areas of supernatural silence, though a psicrystal still can’t discern invisible or ethereal beings. A psicrystal’s sighted range is 40 feet. Telepathic Link (Su): The owner has a telepathic link with his psicrystal out to a distance of up to 1 mile. The owner cannot see through the psicrystal’s senses, but the two of them can communicate telepathically as if the psicrystal were the target of a mindlink power manifested by the owner. For instance, a psicrystal placed in a distant room could relay the activities occurring in that room. Because of the telepathic link between a psicrystal and its owner, the owner has the same connection to an item or place that the psicrystal does. For instance, if his psicrystal has seen a room, the owner can teleport into that room as if he has seen it too. Deliver Touch Powers (Su): If the owner is 3rd level or higher, his psicrystal can deliver touch powers for him. If the owner and psicrystal are in contact at the time the owner manifests a touch power, he can designate his psicrystal as the “toucher.” The psicrystal can then deliver the touch power just as the owner could. As usual, if the owner manifests another power before the touch is delivered, the touch power dissipates. Telepathic Speech (Ex): If the owner is 5th level or higher, the psicrystal can communicate telepathically with any creature that has a language and is within 30 feet of the psicrystal, while the psicrystal is also within 1 mile of the owner. Flight (Su): If the owner is 9th level or higher, he can, as a standard action, will his psicrystal to fly at a speed of 50 feet (poor). The psicrystal drifts gently to the ground after one day (or sooner, if the owner desires). Power Resistance (Ex): If the owner is 11th level or higher, the psicrystal gains power resistance equal to the owner’s level + 5. To affect the psicrystal with a power, another manifester must get a result on a manifester level check that equals or exceeds the psicrystal’s power resistance. Sight Link (Sp): If the owner is 13th level or higher, the character can remote view the psicrystal (as if manifesting the remote view power) once per day. Channel Power (Sp): If the owner is 15th level or higher, he can manifest powers through the psicrystal to a distance of up to 1 mile. The psicrystal is treated as the power’s originator, and all ranges are calculated from its location. When channeling a power through his psicrystal, the owner manifests the power by paying its power point cost. He is still subject to attacks of opportunity and other hazards of manifesting a power, if applicable (for instance, he becomes visible when manifesting an offensive power if invisible, as does the psicrystal). Psicrystal Personality (Ex): Each psicrystal has a distinct personality, chosen by its owner at the time of its creation from among those given on the following table. At 1st level, its owner typically gets a feel for a psicrystal’s personality only through occasional impulses, but as the owner increases in level the psicrystal’s personality becomes more pronounced. At higher levels, it is not uncommon for a psicrystal to constantly ply its owner with observations and advice, often severely slanted toward the psicrystal’s particular worldview. The owner always sees a bit of himself in his psicrystal, even if magnified and therefore distorted. Psicrystal Personalities Personality Benefit to Owner Artiste +3 bonus on Craft checks Bully +3 bonus on Intimidate checks Coward +3 bonus on Hide checks Friendly +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks Hero +2 bonus on Fortitude saves Liar +3 bonus on Bluff checks Meticulous +3 bonus on Search checks Nimble +2 bonus on Initiative checks Observant +3 bonus on Spot checks Poised +3 bonus on Balance checks Resolved +2 bonus on Will saves Sage +3 bonus on checks involving any one Knowledge skill owner already knows; once chosen, this does not vary Single-minded +3 bonus on Concentration checks Sneaky +3 bonus on Move Silently checks Sympathetic +3 bonus on Sense Motive checks Depending on the campaign this little guy could run the gambit between pocket monster (never used except for his bonus’s to you in the form of alertness and the personality benefit) to more spotlight exposure than your actual character. The 3.5 Psionics FAQ which is maintained by Tempest Stormwind is located here (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=638776). Under the monster section is a little bit of info about the psicrystal. For most of this post I am going to assume that the psicrystal does not gain feats but at the end I’ll put an extra section on dealing specifically with that.
Scion of Coldshard 09-07-06, 07:03 PM	A few questions that might come up while thinking about your (potential) psicrystal. When should I get a psicrystal? Chances are good that as soon as you can get it you should. It grants you alertness, which makes it easier for you to spot things that are hiding or hear things which are trying to not be heard, and another ability that you may need. Effectively two feats for the price of one! The psicrystal is also diminutive in size and so is able to fit into small places. His climb speed and stealthy qualities allow him to be a fair scout, when he can be persuaded to perform in such a way. Depending on his personality type this could range from very easy to nearly impossible however. As long as spending the feat does not interrupt your build, and having an extra buddy will not disrupt the game in some way, it is an excellent feat choice as early as level 1. I see that the psicrystal has hardness, what does this mean? Being mostly crystalline and only really alive because you have said so has a few advantages. One of these advantages is hardness and it is a pretty handy advantage indeed. From the system resource document (hereafter refered to as SRD) we have the following: Hardness: Each object has hardness—a number that represents how well it resists damage. Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points So for most attacks whenever the psicrystal is dealt damage you subtract 8 off of that amount before doing anything else. Pretty nice right? In addition to this hardness prevents damage from energy attacks as well. Acid and Sonic attacks ignore hardness, so you wont be able to subtract off of the initial 8 points. Electrictiy and Fire attacks deal only half damage, divide the damage before subtracting off the 8 points from hardness. Cold attacks deal only quarter damage so divide the damage by 4 before subtracting off the 8 points for hardness. Your dm may also wish to make the psicrystal particularly invulnerable or vulnerable to certain attack types so make sure to find out if this is the case. As an example, some dm’s will rule that paper is especially susceptible to fire damage while rope is practically invulnerable to bludgeoning damage. Which of my levels increase my psicrystal? This is covered in the FAQ but I thought I would mention it here anyway. Any and all levels in psionic classes that you have count for giving you benefits for your psicrystal along with all of your hd (not just from psionic classes) increasing your psicrystal’s hd. Even levels in psionic prc’s increase your psicrystal’s power. [Note that in the description of many psionic prc’s it says that class features, such as a psicrystal, do not gain abilities based on those classes. While this is true in a way the psicrystal is a feat and not a class feature and therefore it defaults back to the normal psicrystal description which counts psionic classes, even psionic prc’s.] What does that sighted ability mean for the psicrystal? Well, lets pull it up and take a closer look. Sighted (Ex): Although it has no physical sensory organs, a psicrystal can telepathically sense its environment as well as a creature with normal vision and hearing. Darkness (even supernatural darkness) is irrelevant, as are areas of supernatural silence, though a psicrystal still can’t discern invisible or ethereal beings. A psicrystal’s sighted range is 40 feet. Normal vision and hearing, even without actual organs to do it with, basically means normal human vision and hearing. Take a normal human, with all appropriate organs, test them with various pictures and noises to see what they can see and hear. If you cannot find a normal human then just use your best judgement. This is great in areas which are magically dark, or that you do not want to light up for fear of something seeing the light source, but note the severe limitation of it only going 40'. This means that if you have a power that you want your psicrystal to help you with your psicrystal may not have line of sight on it. It also means that if you somehow give your psicrystal a ranged attack (slotless magical item of arrow shooting?) it wont be very useful for any target more than 40' away. If you want him to sneak into the castle/dungeon/lair and something spots it from more than 40' away it is unlikely to know the danger that it is about to climb into. So be careful! Now lets look at some player feats to make your psicrystal more useful. Psicrystal Containment [PSIONIC] Your psicrystal has advanced enough that it can hold a psionic focus that you store within it. Prerequisites: Psicrystal Affinity, manifester level 3rd. Benefit: You can spend a full-round action attempting to psionically focus your psicrystal. At any time when you need to expend your psionic focus, you can expend your psicrystal’s psionic focus instead, as long as the crystal is within 5 feet of you. Psionically focusing your psicrystal works just like focusing yourself. The psicrystal cannot focus itself—only the owner can spend the time to focus the crystal. If you plan on using your focus quite a bit then this can be incredibly helpful. First off, it allows you to use two foci in the same round on the same effect or split up between needing to recharge. Secondly, it also allows you to use a focus now and then while always being focused yourself. This means that you can have feats which require you to hold focus all of the time while still expending a focus now and then. This can be pretty handy, especially if you don’t want to lose your extra speed at inappropriate times. Improved Psicrystal [PSIONIC] You can upgrade your psicrystal. Prerequisites: Psicrystal Affinity. Benefit: You can implant another personality fragment in your psicrystal. You gain the benefits of both psicrystal personalities. Your psicrystal’s personality adjusts and becomes a blend between all implanted personality fragments. From now on, when determining the abilities of your psicrystal, treat your manifester level as one higher than your normal manifester level. Special: You can gain this feat multiple times. Each time, you implant a new personality fragment in your psicrystal, from which you derive the noted benefits, and you treat your level as one higher for the purpose of determining your psicrystal’s abilities. Once you have a psicrystal you can start implanting extra personality fragments into it. With this you get the extra ability that comes with that personality fragment along with boosting up your psicrystal on its own abilities chart. Do this enough times and you can get abilities much earlier than would otherwise be possible (i.e. if you have picked up this feat 3 times by the time you have 6 levels in psionic classes then your psicrystal will have 2 extra points of natural armor and intelligence along with the flight special ability). Lets take a look at a few basic builds and see where a psicrystal could help shore up the characters weaknesses. Psion/Wilder Weaknesses: Low hp, poor stealth, low fort save How the psicrystal could help: With low hp the psicrystal potentially help in two ways, although they are both indirect. First off he can try to distract your opponent. This is especially the case if you manifest a power on it via share power that gives it an attack or other distracting action. Secondly since it takes a [psionic] feat to gain the psicrystal it will give you 2 hp if you also pick up Psionic Body. Poor stealth was talked about earlier but basically the psicrystal can be a poor mans sneak or he can even go with the parties sneak so that you can know what is going on and if there is any trouble. This means that even while you are not there physically you can at least know when to get help or when to charge in to be of assistance without risking tipping off anyone because of your low skills in that area. Low fort save is easy enough to see since one of the personality types, hero, gives you +2 to your fortitude save. Making it a little easier to save vs. certain magical effects and poisons at all levels is very nice indeed. Psychic warrior For some reason psychic warriors do not have spot on their class skill list. This combined with their low normal skill points per level and int being pretty far down on their list of ‘must have’ stats they are likely doomed to have a fairly low spot score. This is mitigated somewhat by having wisdom as a primary attribute but lets look at what having a psicrystal can do for this psychic warrior. With a single feat spent on an Observant psicrystal he is up to a base +5 spot while it is within 5’ plus the psicrystal could easily make an aid another check for spot (if allowed) or simply make his own check (he has 4 ranks in spot himself initially) and any information he picks up may be passed to the psychic warrior.
Scion of Coldshard 09-07-06, 07:04 PM	Death of a Psicrystal What do you do when your psicrystal is destroyed? This is very important to figure out before such a tragedy happens but the book(s) are mostly silent about the whole process. Lets go through a few options: 1) Regain after some period of time. This could be as short as whenever your next action pops up or as long as the age of the universe. 2) Treat the psicrystal as a familiar. This allows you to have ready written rules if you so choose. 3) Regain after meditation or ritual. Perhaps you have to meditate for an hour to refocus and recrystalize your personality fragment. I personally recommend waiting for 24 hours and having an hour of meditation, after which your psicrystal returns. It is also possible that after being destroyed you could be allowed to choose a different personality fragment for your new psicrystal. Another choice for your dm! Importance of the Psicrystal Talk with your dm to find out how big or small of a picture he would like your psicrystal to be. As it is mostly controlled by the dm he/she may not want to take the extra time. Or perhaps it will become a very important member of the group. Depending on your group dynamic pick what is best for your character and your game. Typically this will place the psicrystal on a similar level to a familiar, an animal companion, or a cohort. Good powers to pick with your Psicrystal Since any power that the psion can manifest on himself can also be manifested on the psicrystal via share powers make sure to always share when possible. Here are a few fun ones: Call to Mind: Since your psicrystal has all of your skills, and even eventually becomes very intelligent, why not use it as a sounding board for ideas? If that doesn’t work then call to mind allows you a second chance both for yourself and a little inspiration for your little buddy. Bite of the Wolf: Want a little helper in combat? Here you are! His size and reach are a bit of a problem so he will likely take a few aoo’s now and then but the extra distraction can be golden. Plus, if you are a psychic warrior the damage from this really shoots up as you increase in levels. Body Adjustment: Psicrystals get hurt too, why not help out your little friend? Chameleon: Improve the scouting prowess of your psicrystal! Psionic Contingency: This is a tricky one to use so it may not be helpful but it lasts awhile and might save your psicrystal from some trouble. The exp cost is very unfortunate however. Dimension Swap: Have your little climber get to a place that you would normally have difficulty reaching or jaunt over to another part of the battlefield that would cause you problems in walking to and then trade places! Energy Conversion: Place this on your psicrystal and have him sit in the path of your and enemies energy blasts. After a little while he will be able to start adding something more to the battle and with his small size he should have a decent chance to hit. Expansion/Compression: These can really increase the viability of the psicrystal at various roles. Need him to have more of a combat presence? Expansion for two size increases which will bring it up to small size. This gives the psicrystal sufficient reach to not provoke aoo’s while attacking most of the time plus increasing its strength and likely whatever it is using for damage, such as Bite of the Wolf. Compression makes the psicrystal even better at ranged attacks and hiding. It could even fit into the cracks in a building as it shrinks to incredibly small proportions. Fiery Discorporation: If you happen to have this power and your psicrystal is about to die to someone attacking it and it is within touch range then you can pop this power on the psicrystal to save it. This handily avoids the problem of having to worry about which method your dm is using to get the psicrystal back and is a nice little visual as well. Of course you have to have a fire source nearby and wait around for him to reappear, but that isnt too much to ask to save the little guy right? Form of Doom: This power is incredible with a psicrystal! Lots of attacks, damage reduction, speed increase, AC increase, etc. 4 tentacle attacks at 2d8 damage each is pretty incredible for such a little guy. Use compression on him to increase his chance to hit even more since the tentacles only change damage based on str bonus and not penalty. Hustle: Two move actions for the price of one. I am not really sure what good it will do for your psicrystal, but at least it is funny. Metamorphosis: With this you can turn your psicrystal into just about any construct out there, even though your own character most likely cannot. Or even any other creature and so become a veritable fighting machine to help you out. You can even change the psicrystal into some sort of tool of a simple sort or more complex if you have the appropriate skills. Perhaps your party needs multiple tools? So long as they dont need to be more than 5' apart at a time you can get two different tools, one from yourself and another from the psicrystal, for a single manifestation. Psionic Lions Charge: Once your psicrystal gets multiple attacks somehow this is a great power to use on yourself and your psicrystal. Especially with the previously mentioned Form of Doom. Psionic Scent: This one is just too funny. Normally the psicrystal cannot use certain powers because it is lacking appropriate limbs or appendages but this power does not say that it enhances your already existing sense of smell but rather you gain an enhanced sense of smell. Find a creature who gains track as a bonus feat, such as many animals do, and combine this with metamorphosis to have your very own bloodhound! Reddopsi: If you are sending your psicrystal out to scout around why not give it a little extra protection? It is already hard to hit, especially if you put a compression on it or other defensive powers, it has decent protection from the elements due to its hardness and an ok amount of hp, it is a construct and so the list of what works on it is already somewhat limited, and you are in constant communication so you can rush to its aid if need be. With this the first targeted spell/power used against it goes back to whoever sent it out. Take that evildoers! (or gooddoers, or neutraldoers, or random-people-you-want-to-spy-on-doers) Shadow Body: Another great power to use on yourself and your psicrystal. Damage reduction, extra sneaking power, and assuming that because the psicrystal is a construct it does not qualify for some of the powers listed in what can be used to find you it is nearly undetectable. Share Pain: With this you can keep your psicrystal in your pocket and have it take half of your damage for you, potentially greatly extending your life. Combine this with vigor to help keep your psicrystal from dieing as well plus doubling the effect of your vigor power! Solicit Psicrystal: Great power if you want to have a concentration power going while still taking other actions. Note the short duration however and that once this power ends both powers end, even if normally the power would last beyond concentration. And many others as well. Likely anything that helps you will also help your psicrystal. So long as you keep it nearby it should be sharing in most or all of your buffs. Prc’s (unofficial) Here are a few of my personal favorites: The big guy is with me (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=463152) This build type makes the psicrystal the primary mode of operation. It could be that the character doesn’t want to get his hands dirty and so the little guy takes charge in combat, or perhaps the character is mentally unable to talk with other people and so the psicrystal takes over there, or maybe the character is as dumb as a brick and yet somehow the psicrystal is able to gain enough int to communicate for the both of them. Lots of improved psicrystal feats are essential here in order to get the higher order powers quickly. The Shattered Mind (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=8064323&postcount=154) Too many fragments broken off from your own mind that your entire personality fragments. Fun! For the Psicrystal Incarnate (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=582697) perfection comes not from within but rather by pushing all of the good in himself into his psicrystal and then transfering his consciousness along the same path while leaving all of the undesireable traits behind. Dont be afraid, all you have to lose is everything you hate about yourself.. oh, and your body, sorry about that. Feats for Psicrystals Going strictly by the RAW (rules as written) psicrystals have an actual HD total and an int score which means that they get feats like every other creature with HD and an int score. Not every dm allows this and according to some it is not intended. This does not stop it from being true however. As such here are a few suggestions for feats that your psicrystal could pick up. Skill boosting feats: Any feat which gives you a bonus to a skill, or skills, that you have the psicrystal use is golden. Remember though that actual ranks do not help, such as with Open Mind. Weapon boosting feats: If you have your psicrystal attack now and again why not give him some feats which can help? Weapon Focus, Improved Natural Weapon, Reckless Charge, and so on. The weapon that your psicrystal attacks with may change over time though as different powers become available to plan accordingly. Psychic reformation is [mind-affecting] so unless you are using relearning rules from the Phb2 you will be out of luck if you make a poor choice. Mounted Combat: This one is a bit of a stretch. If your dm is lenient perhaps it will be allowed and basically allow your character to purchase ranks in ride so that the psicrystal can possibly help you avoid being hit once per round. Cloak Dance: Want your psicrystal to move around the field but don’t want it to get hurt? How about a 20%+ miss chance? Great huh? Wild Talent/Hidden Talent: These give you 2 pp and with it the psionic subtype. From here you can pick up [psionic] feats. Hidden talent also gives your psicrystal a power that it can use at first manifester level. If you can pick up hidden talent that would be a good plan and just pick up a power that would help out your character. Psionic Feats: Psionic Fist can be useful to make your occasional hits that much more powerful, but good luck getting to the Str 13 prereq. Speed of thought can make the psicrystal a little faster, if you don’t mind getting it a wisdom boosting item at least.
Lightblade 09-08-06, 01:34 PM	I'm not convinced psicrystals get feats, since they're constructs. Generally, constructs don't gain feats as they gain hit dice.
Bacris 09-08-06, 02:04 PM	Uh, yes they do... You're thinking of MINDLESS constructs, which do not have feats. The humonculus has feats and gains HD. The chart for improving monsters does not specify they don't gain feats. Ergo, they gain feats. Look at the Kolyarut, who has a load of feats, for example. Feats: Alertness, Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Quickened Spell-Like Ability (suggestion)
Lightblade 09-08-06, 02:27 PM	Ok, i suppose I was wrong on that one. However, although the int / natural armor / abilities scale by the number of levels in psionic classes of the wielder, the hit dice of the psicrystal take into account only the actual levels in psion or wilder. (According to the psicrystal entry in the SRD). IMO, that's a really messy way of doing it, but that's what the entry says.
Todd 09-08-06, 02:41 PM	Lightblade did you read the FAQ like Scion mentioned? http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=638776 Specifically http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=9178120&postcount=10 Which I will quote in case links don't work on your PC for some reason (one never knows with the odd browsers out there), Psicrystal Q: What levels, exactly, count toward the psicrystal's abilities? Prestige classes say they don't, and the monster entry says "only levels in psion and wilder"... A: Go by the primary source -- Psicrystal Affinity. It's 'levels in psionic classes.' A psionic class is one that grants, or requires, the Psionic subtype -- as such, every class in the XPH, including the Psychic Warrior and the prestige classes, will advance the psicrystal. (The text in the XPH about PrCs not advancing class features such as psicrystals is a copy/paste holdover error from 3.0 psionics where psicrystals were class features of the Psion class.) Yes, this also means Soulknife levels count, although a soulknife can't get one without multiclassing. It's a classic case of primary vs secondary sources conflicting. In this case we have both the history & the primary source on the side what Tempest & Scion posted.
Scion of Coldshard 09-10-06, 12:03 PM	Any suggestions/help with the guide as written guys? I am sure it could use a lot so I could use some pointers ;)
BalthazarDArgent 09-10-06, 12:22 PM	The link below provides a lively debate about whether or not Psicrystals gain feats: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=693261 After some waffling...my personal opinion, though I'm wrong RAW, is that the spirit of the rules does not "want" your psicrystal to gain feats and be a regular combatant (if you desire one, get leadership instead). Though many will argue with me that Psions aren't supposed to the Wizards of the mind, the Psicrystal is a proxy Familiar. Suggesting otherwise is to intentionally break the spirit of the rules (and you dissenters know this is exactly what you are doing...more power to ya...I just hope your DM has a nasty habit of killing it each combat...teach you cheaters a lesson). As for good powers to pick with your psicrystal you forgot the best of all IMO, Share Pain. Manifest a Vigor on yourself and share that damage with your lil buddy. Just remember to re-up Vigor or dismiss it when you hit the HP danger zone.
Scion of Coldshard 09-11-06, 08:31 PM	Updated the good powers list, thanks BalthazarDArgent ;)
Thramzorean 09-12-06, 05:14 AM	First of all psicrystals don't get feats - any other intpretation is just muddied wishfull thinking and rules spinning. The XPH is perfectly clear on that. The monster entry has a big dash through advancement, it doesn't advance like a monster, it doesn't get feats like a monster advancement :P ;) A point you might want to note for Solicit Psicrystal is to remember the psicrystal can only see 40'. So it can maintain concentration on things within line of sight or powers that don't need sight but there are various powers that are abused by players when targeting moving opponents e.g. telekinetic maneuver.
Azzy 09-12-06, 08:17 AM	First of all psicrystals don't get feats - any other intpretation is just muddied wishfull thinking and rules spinning. The XPH is perfectly clear on that. The monster entry has a big dash through advancement, it doesn't advance like a monster, it doesn't get feats like a monster advancement :P ;) Please, stop right there. That topic has been debated to death (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=639247), and the semi-official answer has even been declared. Debating it is not a topic for this thread and doesn't add anything to this thread and is tantamount to flogging a dead horse. SoC went out of his way to say, "For most of this post I am going to assume that the psicrystal does not gain feats but at the end I’ll put an extra section on dealing specifically with that." He's attempting to cater to both interpretations.
Scion of Coldshard 09-12-06, 09:12 PM	Please, stop right there. That topic has been debated to death (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=639247), and the semi-official answer has even been declared. Debating it is not a topic for this thread and doesn't add anything to this thread and is tantamount to flogging a dead horse. SoC went out of his way to say, "For most of this post I am going to assume that the psicrystal does not gain feats but at the end I’ll put an extra section on dealing specifically with that." He's attempting to cater to both interpretations. Thanks Azzy ;) I was trying, but I guess simply mentioning it is similar to casting animate poor dead animal.
Thramzorean 09-13-06, 09:12 AM	Heh, you should have put that this topic was OFF LIMITS right at the start SoC, note I didn't start it... What is worth putting in also is some of the downsides. You are supposed to role play your psicrystal and they are supposed to be extremely single minded. It takes a good player to work this into the game well. Though a DM telling a player that their hero psicrystal won't retreat is a bit heavy handed. A useful section up the top might be: A Psicrystal has a Personality - What Does That Mean?
Azzy 09-13-06, 11:32 AM	Thanks Azzy ;) No problem. This thread has the potential to be an excellent resource to provide different ideas, options and inspiration for dealing with the psionic pet rock and it would just be a shame to see it get bogged down in a retread of tired debate. Heh, you should have put that this topic was OFF LIMITS right at the start SoC, note I didn't start it... Sorry, I didn't mean to single you out (your post was just convenient because it was the last one). While I respect everyone's right to opinion and debate, I just didn't want this thread to be decimated by a debate that has spun out of control on many other threads (the thead I linked to should have the last Customer Service ruling as well as all arguments pro and con summed up in one place, so if you're feeling quarrelsome ;) ).
carnivore 09-13-06, 04:50 PM	nice thread..good resource.......will post something tomorrow :D
PhaedrusXY 09-13-06, 05:47 PM	I admit I only browsed the thread... but I didn't see any mention of how Psicrystals can use magic/psionic items via their owner's Use Magic/Psionic Device ranks. This is a very useful ability. It essentially gives you another standard action every round for the cost of a feat and some skill ranks, which anyone who's ever used Schism can tell you is incredible. You might buy the psicrystal a Circlet of Persuasion if you have the money, also. And if the DM is a stickler, he might say you have to Metamorph it into something with hands. If the DM allows it to pick feats, Skill Focus: Use Magic/Psionic Device might be a good one. ;)
Scion of Coldshard 09-13-06, 09:19 PM	hmm.. psicrystals and magic items. I'll have to think about that. Basically that comes down to multiclassed rogues, shapers, and elocaters I believe. Psicrystals also dont really carry much (given the lack of limbs for such a purpose and the 1 strength combined with diminutive size). But it could definately be interesting. Especially if a player wanted to spend cross class skill points just for such a purpose. If we assume that the psicrystal gets at least 4 legs when you activate its self-propulsion then it can carry 1.5 lbs at light load, 3 lbs at medium load, and up to 5 lbs for heavy load. A dorje weighs up to 1/4 of a lb and a dorje bandolier for it might weigh about 1/2 of a lb (given a normal one weighing about 2 lbs as a guess) and hold say 3 dorjes. Reach a nice little spidery ectoplasmic leg up, pull it out, and activate. All while within light load. Not bad. Which also reminds me to go back and edit in a special note about the psicrystals vision limitations.
PhaedrusXY 09-13-06, 10:07 PM	Does the Psychic Rogue get UPD/UMD? I didn't check, but I'd guess it gets at least one of them... If you have Metamorphosis anyway, you can just share it with the psicrystal to give it the ability to manipulate things better. Skill Focus and the Circlet of Persuasion give it a +6. Throw on a shared Animal Affinity and you're up to +8. The DC to activate a wand is only 20. At the higher levels, you can get enough ranks even cross-classing it for it to work most of the time.
Lokiyn 09-14-06, 01:00 AM	Also something of note is that if a player is useing Untapped Potential material the psicrystal has the potential to metamorph into an astral juggernaut, saveing 300xp and stretching the duration out by a factor of ten. there is currently one main block to this. If using metamorphosis one must pump casterlevel up to 24 to hit the shapechange limit. So to capitalize on this earliest one needs a +7 to manifester level. However if using formbound rules then the Cr 15 of the power makes this laughably easy as one simply need to imprint a construct and off you go. However the trick works best if one operates of the debated rules by which psicrystals gain feats to aquire Metamorphic Transfer, which while possible under the rule set requires some juggling to get psicrystal power and the wisdom score up to par.
thorian 09-14-06, 01:05 AM	A couple of tactics for making your psicrystal better. 1) Buy a scroll or have a sor/wiz cast Hardening on your psicrystal. This spell increases the hardness by 1 per 2 caster levels and is permanent. Boost the cl as high as possible. 2) Use the Craft Wonderous Item feat on your psicrystal. You can Psychic Reformation away the feat when you are done. Enchanting your psicrystal not only gives you another magic item, but allows the psicrystal to "weild" it. There are too many useful enchantments to list here, but you get the idea. :smirk:
Thramzorean 09-14-06, 02:00 AM	so if you're feeling quarrelsome Nah, strictly tongue-in-cheek is me...;) One useful tactics for psicrystals. They are rather attractive desirable things in themselves. You don't need to cast a sympathy on them to get creatures rushing over to grap one thinking all their Xmas's have come at once... saves making the attack for an empowered dissipating touch:devil:
Zemyla 09-14-06, 07:23 PM	You can share Schism with your psicrystal. That mean you can manifest Solicit Psicrystal twice so it can concentrate on two powers for you. :D
Lightblade 09-17-06, 11:43 PM	So, would people say that Atavist, from Races of Eberron, qualifies as a psionic class for the purposes of psicrystal advancement? (He already has a manefester level of 1 from a level of telepath). The class does offer call to mind 3/day, and require a psionic race.
OmegaFrost 10-09-06, 03:08 AM	Just a note in one of the games I DM I allowed a Psion (seer) to be blind and he came up with a creative solution to this. He has is Psicrystal see everything for him warning him whats ahead and nearby. Also Ironically since the psicrystal can use his Spot modifier, the blind seer has max ranks in spot. He's also the Archer in the group (getalt) whch is kind of scary (he manifests synesthete before hand).
Soel Griffin 10-09-06, 05:40 AM	Methinks Synchronicity could be a good power to share with the psicrystal.
Tempest Stormwind 10-09-06, 12:12 PM	Also something of note is that if a player is useing Untapped Potential material the psicrystal has the potential to metamorph into an astral juggernaut, saveing 300xp and stretching the duration out by a factor of ten. there is currently one main block to this. If using metamorphosis one must pump casterlevel up to 24 to hit the shapechange limit. So to capitalize on this earliest one needs a +7 to manifester level. However if using formbound rules then the Cr 15 of the power makes this laughably easy as one simply need to imprint a construct and off you go. However the trick works best if one operates of the debated rules by which psicrystals gain feats to aquire Metamorphic Transfer, which while possible under the rule set requires some juggling to get psicrystal power and the wisdom score up to par. I just saw this. You can't imprint constructs (nor undead nor incorporeal things; the subject has to be living or recently dead), nor can you imprint things beyond your own HD. (While shapechanging powers are limited in general by CR, the imprints are based off of hit dice.) And since no one answered earlier, Lightblade, the atavist is a psionic class. It requires Kalashtar, it progresses soulknife training, it grants psi-like abilities, and reading through the fluff makes it clear at one point it actually manifest powers as well.
Scion of Coldshard 10-09-06, 08:14 PM	nice thread..good resource.......will post something tomorrow :D Would love to see your suggestions and comments carnivore ;) A couple of tactics for making your psicrystal better. 1) Buy a scroll or have a sor/wiz cast Hardening on your psicrystal. This spell increases the hardness by 1 per 2 caster levels and is permanent. Boost the cl as high as possible. I have thought about this before, but I am not really sure if it works. The spell version I am looking at is in the Eberron book and it says it works on an item. Does the psicrystal count as an item? Does anyone know of a rules site pointing in either direction? It would be great to give your little friend some extra hardness! It could be a tad overpowered though..lol 2) Use the Craft Wonderous Item feat on your psicrystal. You can Psychic Reformation away the feat when you are done. Enchanting your psicrystal not only gives you another magic item, but allows the psicrystal to "weild" it. There are too many useful enchantments to list here, but you get the idea. Similar problem here really. Along with the psicrystal not having an actual monetary value so I wouldnt even know how to begin to make it into a wonderous item.. perhaps make it part of another item, maybe, but even then I am not sure how much rules support there is for it. It would be really funny to turn it into a ring though.. if you could hollow out the center without hurting it and putting some sort of ability on it.. assuming that it would gain its own granted ability somehow ;) Make it an intelligent item? Split personality possibilities. You can share Schism with your psicrystal. That mean you can manifest Solicit Psicrystal twice so it can concentrate on two powers for you. Schism has the [mind-affecting] descriptor. As such my impression is that while you could share it the power would not actually effect it. Just a note in one of the games I DM I allowed a Psion (seer) to be blind and he came up with a creative solution to this. He has is Psicrystal see everything for him warning him whats ahead and nearby. Also Ironically since the psicrystal can use his Spot modifier, the blind seer has max ranks in spot. He's also the Archer in the group (getalt) whch is kind of scary (he manifests synesthete before hand). Nice! Does he get double use out of precognition as well? Methinks Synchronicity could be a good power to share with the psicrystal. Looks possible. It would be especially good if you were using your psicrystal offensively in one of the ways posted earlier. Let it do something big and bad, manifest this power to give it and yourself a readied action. Repeat each round that you like. ::snip:: Glad you stopped in ;) No comments/suggestions for the guide? :(
PhaedrusXY 10-10-06, 10:54 AM	Schism has the [mind-affecting] descriptor. As such my impression is that while you could share it the power would not actually effect it.Hmm... another difference between familiars and psicrystals that I had not noticed before. Familiars specifically say you can share spells with them even if the spell doesn't normally affect a creature of the familiar's type. The section on psicrystals explicitly says the exact opposite.The owner and psicrystal cannot share powers if the powers normally do not affect creatures of the psicrystal’s type (construct). So you're right. You couldn't share Schism or any other mind affecting power with your psicrystal.
Thot 10-24-06, 10:33 AM	Just some quick questions about a psi-crystal's hp, and repairing it : It cannot heal damage, but it can be repaired. >link< (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/psicrystal.htm) 1) How do you repair it ? Which Craft(X) skill do you use ? 2) When the psi-crystal owner is healed of 2hp, is the psi-crystal automatically healed of 1hp too ? or is the psi-crystal current hp maxed by his owner's half ? I am in a party where healing is scarce, and such questions are important... Thank you.
Tempest Stormwind 10-24-06, 12:57 PM	Just some quick questions about a psi-crystal's hp, and repairing it : >link< (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/psicrystal.htm) 1) How do you repair it ? Which Craft(X) skill do you use ? 2) When the psi-crystal owner is healed of 2hp, is the psi-crystal automatically healed of 1hp too ? or is the psi-crystal current hp maxed by his owner's half ? I am in a party where healing is scarce, and such questions are important... Thank you. 1) Hypothetically, Gemcutting. But it doesn't matter -- look at Psionic Repair Damage. 2) No, that's not what the hit points thing means. It means that if the master has 24 hit points max, the psicrystal has 12 max, and each are tracked independently.
Thot 10-24-06, 04:56 PM	Thank you for your answers. 1) PRD is a power that I'm loath to take early in my career. I'd rather have another one instead. 2) As for the hp, I thought so, but I'd rather have had an explanation. I'll see what I'll do IG. Thanks again.
Tempest Stormwind 10-24-06, 05:15 PM	Thank you for your answers. 1) PRD is a power that I'm loath to take early in my career. I'd rather have another one instead. 2) As for the hp, I thought so, but I'd rather have had an explanation. I'll see what I'll do IG. Thanks again. Another idea is to craft a wand of Repair Light Damage if you can afford it (wizard spell, artificer as well if you're in Eberron). And if you're a shaper (i.e. the kind who can manifest PRD), you might want to consider getting it soonish, since it's a requirement for Constructor, a truly amazing PrC.
Thot 10-25-06, 04:35 AM	The Wand is a good idea, especially considering we have an Artificier. I'll talk to him about it. I am a Shaper indeed, and I don't intend to go Constructor (though it is indeed a great PrC). it does not fit well my PC, and I don't want to lose this first ML. So PRD is out for me, I guess, all the more since we have no Warforged in the party to which it could be useful.
Scion of Coldshard 02-09-07, 10:07 AM	Pruning was mentioned and people might even enjoy some part of this thread ;) Maybe even have some additions!
awaken_D_M_golem 02-10-07, 03:00 PM	Hey , Scion of Coldshard , I love this stuff ! I'm'n'a need it pretty soon for a build. The Artificer ( sub species psionic ) can do your 'Big Guy' build with even more feats. for the record : Familiars ........................................ ... get feats Improved Familiars ............................. get feats Familiars that advance ........................ get feats Improved Familiars advanced .............. get feats Animal Companions ............................ get feats Advanced Animal Companions ............ get feats Paladin Mounts .................................. get feats Special Paladin Mounts ...................... get feats Fiendish Servants .............................. get feats heck , even Elemental Envoys ............ get feats as you've said Intelligent Constructs ... get feats and finally , the Psicrystal with 1hd gets 1 feat , just like its supposed to. So ... is there any reason why , ALL of the above , should or Must be nerfed , to satisfy some "c-RAI-ing" ??? :)
Tempest Stormwind 02-10-07, 03:38 PM	Hey , Scion of Coldshard , I love this stuff ! I'm'n'a need it pretty soon for a build. The Artificer ( sub species psionic ) can do your 'Big Guy' build with even more feats.No, he can't. It's not the number of psionic feats you get, it's the number of Improved Psicrystal feats you get. The psionic artificer is WAY behind the psychic warrior in that regard.for the record : Familiars ........................................ ... get featsFalse; they get one. Familiars don't gain HD, they are treated as higher HD than they are for HD-related effects like Sleep. The distinction is important.Improved Familiars ............................. get featsThey may get more than the familiar due to higher base HD, but they don't get more as you go up in level. See above.Familiars that advance ........................ get featsFind me one familiar that advances on its own.Improved Familiars advanced .............. get featsSee above.Animal Companions ............................ get feats Advanced Animal Companions ............ get feats Paladin Mounts .................................. get feats Special Paladin Mounts ...................... get feats Fiendish Servants .............................. get featsThese are all true. Note that they actually gain HD, hence why it's true.heck , even Elemental Envoys ............ get featsOnly the one for their initial HD. Envoys NEVER gain additional HD, which is most of the reason why they're utterly useless. This means, in part, that they don't gain additional feats as you level up.So ... is there any reason why , ALL of the above , should or Must be nerfed , to satisfy some "c-RAI-ing" ??? :)You're off on some of those, as I listed above. People get mad at the psicrystal for gaining feats when the animal companions are better physically and also gain feats and so forth.
awaken_D_M_golem 02-11-07, 02:33 PM	hey T S , thanks for the clarifications. I'm still only a junior rules lawyer , but i like the swing of things. The Psi-Arty gets more feats than psy-war does , and it gets to psychic reformation faster than any other psi- class. This , both , via items or UPD. So ... the 5th level psi-Arty can make an item of psy-ref , and the 6th level'r can make a Linked item of psy-ref. Can you say 2 round tear-down ?! I ... finally ... got "serviced" by the grumblers on the eberron main arty thread on page 22. Said item/link/psy-ref costs : 1x8 + 4x8 + (XP costs x5) gp. build 1 : the Bigger guy is with me build 2 : slightly lesser arty with fewer choices build 3 : any skill / feat combo you can come up with - monkey and ... don't sleep on the dorje/wand having 5th+ level powers to "blastifi-psi-er" with. { the 1 skill rank needed to read/speak psionic-common doesn't include how to pronounce "blastifi-psi-er" } somewhere on the co-familiars threads , there is some familiar that can advance ; i'll look for it.
Rageheart 02-12-07, 12:12 PM	Here's a combo for all you Nomad psions (or any one that needs to get somewhere quick). Psycrystal Run (x4) move .... = 120' Psion Standard action - Dimension Swap with Psycrystal (Max range @ ML 20, 125') Psion Move action "Double move" ... +60' = 180' Psion Swift action - Hustle Psion Hustle action ... +30' = 210' Can anyone shoot holes in that? :)
Racinante 02-12-07, 03:36 PM	Here's a combo for all you Nomad psions (or any one that needs to get somewhere quick). Psycrystal Run (x4) move .... = 120' Psion Standard action - Dimension Swap with Psycrystal (Max range @ ML 20, 125') Psion Move action "Double move" ... +60' = 180' Psion Swift action - Hustle Psion Hustle action ... +30' = 210' Can anyone shoot holes in that? :) You cannot take a double move and a standard action in the same round. However if you assume that Psicrystals can have at least one feat (Run in this case) then the first bullet becomes 150 feet. Also, Dimension swap at 20 ML has a range of 25+50 ft = 75 feet. However you can Enlarge the DS to obtain 150 feet, so you can still arrive at the 210' move (150 + 30 move + 30 hustle). The feat Dash can also increase you speed as well.
Rageheart 02-12-07, 05:09 PM	You cannot take a double move and a standard action in the same round. However if you assume that Psicrystals can have at least one feat (Run in this case) then the first bullet becomes 150 feet. Also, Dimension swap at 20 ML has a range of 25+50 ft = 75 feet. However you can Enlarge the DS to obtain 150 feet, so you can still arrive at the 210' move (150 + 30 move + 30 hustle). The feat Dash can also increase you speed as well. Hmmm.... Good catch. :D Assuming you are sharing Skate with your Psicrystal the round before... Psycrystal Run (x4) move .... = 150' (stopping short by 30') Psion Standard action - Enlarged Dimension Swap with Psycrystal (Max range @ ML 20, 150') Psion Move action ... +45' = 195' Psion Swift action - Hustle Psion Hustle action ... +45' = 240' that comes out to 27 MPH... better? (I know there is bigger and better out there, but this strikes me as being economical ~11pp)
Scion of Coldshard 02-12-07, 05:40 PM	It is not quite as far but if you have a psicrystal with flight then you can you compression on yourself and expanion on the psicrystal. With a nice little saddle you can now ride it around with a fly speed of 50' ;) A couple more feats and magical items could get that fly speed up decently high as well. Baseline it is 200' a round, flying, but needing quite a bit of set up.
Racinante 02-13-07, 11:55 AM	Hmmm.... Good catch. :D Assuming you are sharing Skate with your Psicrystal the round before... Psycrystal Run (x4) move .... = 150' (stopping short by 30') Psion Standard action - Enlarged Dimension Swap with Psycrystal (Max range @ ML 20, 150') Psion Move action ... +45' = 195' Psion Swift action - Hustle Psion Hustle action ... +45' = 240' that comes out to 27 MPH... better? (I know there is bigger and better out there, but this strikes me as being economical ~11pp) Unfortunately, the moment the psicrystal moves further than 5' away, it loses the benefit of the shared Skate. In that case, just manifest Skate directly on the Psycrystal and yourself separately.
Rageheart 02-13-07, 12:29 PM	Doh, I shoulda thought of that. :D
nifty_fantasy_name 02-14-07, 02:26 AM	Question: are psicrystals a Psion class feature, or does the character have to take the feat like everyone else? I'm confused b/c it was a class feature in the original book (IIRC), all of the psion pics show them with crystals, and the crystal info is under the Psion class heading, instead of with the feat or creature description. Thanks!
Tempest Stormwind 02-14-07, 02:33 AM	Question: are psicrystals a Psion class feature, or does the character have to take the feat like everyone else? I'm confused b/c it was a class feature in the original book (IIRC), all of the psion pics show them with crystals, and the crystal info is under the Psion class heading, instead of with the feat or creature description. Thanks!They were a feature in 3.0, but they are a feat in 3.5. Legacy errors move the description of psicrystals underneath the psion, and copy/paste errors from the revision abound in the psicrystal. For more information, see the FAQ at the top of the forum.
BobbyJim 03-15-07, 08:31 AM	If you have a high-level wizard in the group and need another combatant, you could have him cast "Polymorph any Object" on your psicrystal, turning it into one of the gem dragons from the monster manual II. If your psicrystal is made from a crystal associated with a gem dragon (amethyst is to amethyst dragon, sapphire is to sapphire dragon, and so on), the duration factor is increased by +2, which would put the duration at 1 hour.
jbsaff 03-15-07, 11:26 AM	The rules for hardness state: Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Based on this, it would appear that using Share Pain gives half of the damage taken by the character to the psicrystal, then reduces that damage amount by eight. Thus, for any attack on the character that deals 16 hp or less of damage, the psicrystal does not actually take any damage. Is this correct? By the rules, it looks right, but I think some DMs might object, since Share Pain requires a willing creature.
PhaedrusXY 03-15-07, 12:05 PM	Is this correct? By the rules, it looks right, but I think some DMs might object, since Share Pain requires a willing creature.What does that even have to do with it? The psicrystal is a creature, and it should certainly be willing, I'd think. I thought that Share Pain had some clause about the damage not being reduced by things like damage reduction, but after looking at the description again, I don't see it. So unless it has been Errata'd, I guess it works how you're suggesting. I don't think most people play with it that way, however.
crizhII 03-15-07, 01:22 PM	I thought that Share Pain had some clause about the damage not being reduced by things like damage reduction, but after looking at the description again, I don't see it. So unless it has been Errata'd, I guess it works how you're suggesting. I don't think most people play with it that way, however. You're thinking of Empathic Transfer, Hostile. Hardness was just raised with regard to Dissipating Touch and the conclusion seemed to be that Hardness only really applied to Slashing/Piercing/Bludgeoning or Fire/Cold/Electricity. I can just imagine the colour my DM would turn if I suggested that Hardness should apply to damage transfered with Share Pain. Shivers..... :D
jbsaff 03-15-07, 07:03 PM	Probably about the same color that mine did. A quick Q&A session with my DM leaves me with no psicrystal feats and no hardness working with Share Pain. He was nice about it and admitted that it was more house rule balancing than RAW, but I'm still stuck. Now I have to work up the courage to ask him about how Thralls and followers will be handled.
Doomed_Penguin 03-15-07, 09:11 PM	hmm.. psicrystals and magic items. I'll have to think about that. Basically that comes down to multiclassed rogues, shapers, and elocaters I believe. Psicrystals also dont really carry much (given the lack of limbs for such a purpose and the 1 strength combined with diminutive size). But it could definately be interesting. Especially if a player wanted to spend cross class skill points just for such a purpose. If we assume that the psicrystal gets at least 4 legs when you activate its self-propulsion then it can carry 1.5 lbs at light load, 3 lbs at medium load, and up to 5 lbs for heavy load. A dorje weighs up to 1/4 of a lb and a dorje bandolier for it might weigh about 1/2 of a lb (given a normal one weighing about 2 lbs as a guess) and hold say 3 dorjes. Reach a nice little spidery ectoplasmic leg up, pull it out, and activate. All while within light load. Not bad. Which also reminds me to go back and edit in a special note about the psicrystals vision limitations. A dorje bandolier? Tsk tsk. What do you think WotC made soveriegn glue for? I'd like to see someone disarm your psicrystal of that! And you don't feel bad about it, cause you're just sticking it to a rock. It's not like you'll pull out your falcon familiar's feathers with it. Just make sure you don't stick it to your hand.
bertman4 03-16-07, 01:40 AM	I see that the psicrystal has hardness, what does this mean? Being mostly crystalline and only really alive because you have said so has a few advantages. One of these advantages is hardness and it is a pretty handy advantage indeed. From the system resource document (hereafter refered to as SRD) we have the following: Hardness: Each object has hardness—a number that represents how well it resists damage. Whenever an object takes damage, subtract its hardness from the damage. Only damage in excess of its hardness is deducted from the object’s hit points So for most attacks whenever the psicrystal is dealt damage you subtract 8 off of that amount before doing anything else. Pretty nice right? In addition to this hardness prevents damage from energy attacks as well. Acid and Sonic attacks ignore hardness, so you wont be able to subtract off of the initial 8 points. Electrictiy and Fire attacks deal only half damage, divide the damage before subtracting off the 8 points from hardness. Cold attacks deal only quarter damage so divide the damage by 4 before subtracting off the 8 points for hardness. Your dm may also wish to make the psicrystal particularly invulnerable or vulnerable to certain attack types so make sure to find out if this is the case. As an example, some dm’s will rule that paper is especially susceptible to fire damage while rope is practically invulnerable to bludgeoning damage. I don't think this is true. Check out the Main FAQ. It talks about energy attacks versus animated objects, but the rules should also apply to the psicrystal. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/er/20030221a * Hardness apllies to acid and sonic attacks. These attacks deal normal damage both to creatures and to objects, and thus would deal normal damage to an animated object (less the effect of the hardness). * Hardness applies to electricity and fire attacks. These attacks deal half damage to inanimate objects, but animated objects are creatures and they take full damage (less the effect of the hardness). * Hardness also applies to cold damage. Cold attacks deal one-quarter damage to inanimate objects, but again, an animated object takes full damage less the effect of the hardness. * Hardness applies to force attacks. These attacks deal normal damage to creatures and to objects (when applicable), and thus would deal normal damage to an animated object (less the effect of the hardness). The only time I think this doesn't work is when a spell or power specificaly states that it bypasses hardness, such as sonic effects from all the Energy XXX powers. Bertman
Mesiolan 03-16-07, 08:03 AM	I've collected several uses for a Psicrystal, posted on other threads: 1) The crystal has its own skills, but uses the ranks of the master. If the master makes a skill check, often the crystal can make a check too. This either results in a) Aid another skill bonus of +2 for the master, OR b) a skill check result for the crystal itself. If it's a knowledge skill, the crystal could stubbornly demand it is right about the answer to the question, not the character. Houserule: all knowledge skill checks and the psicraft/spellcraft checks can be aided for +2, if there is enough time for the crystal to omit it's opinion. If the spellcraft check is for counterspelling, there is NOT enough time. - If the aid another result is a nat "1" on d20, it results in -2 for telepathic rubbish. 2) Take a rank in Heal and dispatch the crystal to stabilize your comrades on the battlefield. A healer's kit is a medium load for it. A potion is a light load. This is nice for low levels, when the hardness of 8 is worth the risk of AoOs. 3) Improved Evasion is only helping so-so for the low HP of the crystal. A nice feat for the critter is Lightning Reflexes. +2 to Ref saves is really worth it, for as long as you can't repair it properly. 4) A nice power to repair the thing is here: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/files/PsionicsPDF2.zip Ectoplasmic Repair, 1st level power, repairs 1d4 HP of a construct. Augmentable for +1d4 HP for every 2 PP. A MUST HAVE for those who send the crystal into danger. And perhaps to patch up your precious Astral Construct. 5) If you have a gish build, try Control Body (4th level) on self and Solicit Psicrystal. It shortens the duration, but gives your INT bonus to hit and damage in melee and AC (instead of STR and DEX, so nice for touch AC). You will lose your AoOs during the time, though.
Scion of Coldshard 03-16-07, 10:42 AM	I don't think this is true. Check out the Main FAQ. The FAQ is not a source of rulings that I particularly trust ;) Sometimes they are right, sometimes wrong, sometimes self-contradictory. For now I am just going with what the book says. Until it gets errata or something equivalently powerful I will just go with that. But for anyone in any game it is very important to ask the dm ahead of time to find out for sure!!
bertman4 03-16-07, 01:03 PM	Originally posted by Scion of Coldshard For now I am just going with what the book says. Until it gets errata or something equivalently powerful I will just go with that. So we get back into the infinite monkeys arguements. Here's what it says in the SRD. Energy Attacks: Acid and sonic attacks deal damage to most objects just as they do to creatures; roll damage and apply it normally after a successful hit. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage deal by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter dmage to most objects; divide the damage ddeal by 4 before applying the hardness. They say to apply acid/sonic damage normally. Normal means damage minus hardness equals damage to hit points. Nowhere RAW does it say "ignore hardness" or "bypass hardness." But for anyone in any game it is very important to ask the dm ahead of time to find out for sure!! Absolutely true. Check with the DM. At least in psionics, many (most?) of the sonic energy powers specifically state that they bypass hardness. So always know a few energy powers for that time when you meet constructs and animated objects. Very useful! Bertman
PhaedrusXY 03-16-07, 02:41 PM	Look, I can change the meaning of something by highlighting one part and ignoring the rest, too!Energy Attacks: Acid and sonic attacks deal damage to most objects just as they do to creatures; roll damage and apply it normally after a successful hit. Electricity and fire attacks deal half damage to most objects; divide the damage deal by 2 before applying the hardness. Cold attacks deal one-quarter dmage to most objects; divide the damage ddeal by 4 before applying the hardness. They say to apply acid/sonic damage normally. Normal means damage minus hardness equals damage to hit points. Nowhere RAW does it say "ignore hardness" or "bypass hardness." They also say that the deal damage to most objects as they do to creatures. That, combined with "deal damage normally" makes it very clear to me that they should ignore hardness, FAQ be damned. (There have been some truly idiotic things printed in the FAQ in the past, and WotC later reversed their stance on most of them.)
BloodyChariot 06-03-07, 02:32 PM	I apologise for the threadomancy, but I have a relevant question and I didn't want to start a new thread: If a psion wears heavy armor, he incurs a nonproficiency penalty to his attack bonus. For the most part, that only comes into play when a psion is trying to use a touch attack power. So if a psion uses his psicrystal's deliver touch powers ability to have it deliver touch attacks for him, does the psicrystal suffer the same penalty? I mean, it sounds perfect for negating that specific penalty of heavy armor. A 10th level psion holding his psicrystal (since he has to be contact with it to have it deliver his touch attacks, right?) makes his psicrystal deliver a crystal shard: it gets its +7 BAB, +4 size modifier and +2 dexterity modifier for a total of +13 to hit.
Scion of Coldshard 06-03-07, 03:04 PM	Yep, the psion could transfer a touch power to the psicrystal and then have the psicrystal go and touch things! Unfortunately the psicrystal doesnt have much for reach so it would have to enter the opponents square in order to start touching. One might be able to make an arguement for the psion tossing the psicrystal at an enemy, but then you are back to the armor imposing its penalty again. Do note though that crystal shard isnt a touch power. You will need Channel Power for that one.
BloodyChariot 06-03-07, 04:13 PM	So I have to wait until 15th level to get my self-aiming crystal gun? Darn. I suppose I should take a one-level dip into psychic warrior or something then in order to get heavy armor proficiency.
Scion of Coldshard 06-03-07, 04:21 PM	Each 'improved psicrystal' feat you take will reduce that level by 1, but it is still a long way off for a beginning character. For a 1 level dip in a psionic class to get heavy armor you have Psychic warrior, Ardent, and Divine mind. Depending on what you are going for exactly some of those are better than others. Mostly it comes down to whether you want the psionic feat, 2 mantles, or a mantle with a few specials attatched to an aura. All of them keep your psicrystal advancing though, so at least you have that going for it even if it does hit your manifester level.
turalisj 07-05-07, 07:21 PM	Do levels in soulknife count for a psicrystal?
Azzy 07-05-07, 08:53 PM	Do levels in soulknife count for a psicrystal? Well, strictly speaking by the rules, you have to have a manifester level to gain the Psicystral Affinity feat. Levels in soulknife do not count as manifester levels. Past that, the rules are confused on the matter of whether a psicrystal's abilities are based on "the owner's levels in psionic classes" (XPH, page 22) or "levels in psion or wilder" (XPH, page 207). If the former is taken to be correct, then levels in soulkife do count. I personally houserule it to be dependent on manifester levels, but YMMV.
Azzy 07-09-07, 02:20 AM	Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch, Batman!!!!* The Sage has actually clarified one of the common psicrystal questions. And does so in an agreeable fashion. Q: Dear Sage What classes contribute toward a psicrystal’s abilities? What about monsters with psi-like abilities—do their racial HD count too? --Andy A: Any class or prestige class that grants the ability to manifest psionic powers contributes its level for the purpose of determining a psicrystal’s abilities, unless the class states otherwise. Racial Hit Dice don’t contribute toward this purpose, even if the creature has a power point reserve or psi-like abilities. Thanks, Sage! Can we get the official errata on the rest of the psicrystal, now? Pretty please? *I do not apologise for mixing my metaphors/references.
Scion of Coldshard 07-09-07, 04:13 AM	Nice catch Azzy ;)
Azzy 07-09-07, 12:45 PM	No prob, I just caught it by happenstance (as I rarely visit the D&D homepage anymore). :)